Business Directories

Bahrain launches massive smart energy project

Manama, May 5, 2013

Bahrain Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) has announced the launch of the largest utility-based IT project in the Kingdom’s history aimed at Accelerating its move towards smart grid and smarter energy and water services.

EWA's radical IT system overhaul comes as the kingdom eyes a new era of efficient energy management.

In what will become the Kingdom’s largest ever utility-based IT project, EWA will automate key operational processes, initiating a bold step-change in customer service and overall performance in line with Bahrain’s 2030 economic vision.

The project will entail the introduction of utility industry-specific solutions from leading business software company SAP, including customer relationship management, billing, metering and network asset management.

The key innovations include an integrated Energy and Water Value Chain with streamlined and mobile-empowered business processes enabled by SAP Utilities.

SAP’s suite of business solutions will, among other things, speed up the billing process, mitigate disconnection problems, enhance fault detection capabilities and control customer demand and load profiles more effectively.

Crucially, the project, which is SAP’s largest of its kind in Bahrain, will accelerate a transition to a smart energy infrastructure that incorporates renewables and cutting-edge metering. Project implementation will be handled by SAP’s Field Services team.

“Sustainable development in Bahrain can only progress if we are capable of unlocking more efficient ways of capturing, managing and distributing electricity and water,” stated Shaikh Nawaf.

“This requires awareness, determination and, crucially, it requires innovative technology capable of revolutionizing core processes. With our eye on Bahrain’s future generations, and the help of companies and collaborators like SAP, we are committed to stamping out inefficiency, minimizing emissions, embracing renewable energy, and making the smart grid a widespread reality,” he added.

According to him, energy diversification is on top of Bahrain’s political agenda, with plans recently announced to kick-start two renewables projects in June.

EWA’s decision to work with SAP follows four successful years running on the German IT pioneer’s solutions for financial, warehouse and material management procurement.

Robert Enslin, the president of sales and a member of the SAP Global Managing Board said the company was proud to partner with the Kingdom and support its 2030 economic vision. "This is a project set to support a roadmap of smart grid and smart energy and water services, world-class water efficiency and a powerful energy mix that features renewables in addition to oil and gas."

"Together with EWA, we are blazing a trail for a better run, cleaner and more sustainable future," he added.

SAP has a strong track record working for utility companies in the Middle East, with its solutions currently running on behalf of a host of high-profile entities across the region. More than 2,450 utilities run SAP across 70 countries.-TradeArabia News Service